Missouri Court Upholds GOP Redistricting Map
The Facts
- A Cole County circuit judge ruled Wednesday that Missouri's constitutional referendum provisions do not apply to congressional redistricting, allowing a Republican-backed map to remain in place for November's midterm elections.
- The ruling sided with Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had rejected a petition carrying more than 300,000 signatures that sought to force a statewide vote on the redrawn map. Hoskins' office was represented in court by the attorney general's office.
- The new map, signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe after a special legislative session called at President Donald Trump's urging, splits Kansas City across multiple districts and stretches Rep. Emanuel Cleaver's 5th Congressional District into Republican-heavy rural areas.
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The Spin
Republican narrative
This congressional map has been upheld multiple times, making clear that elected state legislatures — not outside dark money groups — hold the constitutional authority to draw districts in Missouri. Attempting to override that process after primaries already concluded would've disenfranchised real voters. Republicans now have their rightful path to flipping seats red in 2026.
Democratic narrative
Missouri voters gathered enough signatures to trigger a referendum, but then a judge decided that the referendum right doesn't apply, which contradicts a broad constitutional guarantee and ignores a 1922 precedent. The ruling leans on fringe federal theories the judge acknowledged are legally shaky. An appeal should be heard and this ruling should be overturned.
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